Hayden Panettiere's Cause of Death: What to Know So Far After Her Passing

Angilene Gacute Tue, August 18, 2026 at 4:09 AM UTC

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A representative for Hayden Panettiere confirmed her death in a statement on Sunday, August 16.MEGA

Hayden Panettiere, who rose to fame as a child star in the 1990s before landing breakout roles in Heroes and Nashville, has died. She was 36.

A representative for Panettiere confirmed her death in a statement to ABC News on Sunday, August 16. Her passing comes more than three years after the death of her younger brother, actor Jansen Panettiere, who tragically died in February 2023 at age 28 from an enlarged heart and aortic valve complications.

Here's what to know so far about Hayden's death.

Hayden Panettiere Dead at 36

Hayden Panettiere died at the age of 36.MEGA

Hayden's representative issued a statement on the evening of August 16 confirming the Golden Globe-nominated actress' death.

"It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden. She was an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her -- and to the millions who watched her onscreen," the spokesperson said.

Hayden's father, Skip Panettiere, asked for privacy as the family "takes time to process this unimaginable loss."

According to TMZ, Hayden and her on-again, off-again boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, flew from Los Angeles to the "south" on August 15.

Inside Hayden Panettiere's Cause of Death

A representative for Hayden Panettiere announced her death in a statement.MEGA

Details surrounding Hayden's passing, including her cause of death, were not immediately available. A source close to the actress told TMZ that she had been complaining of back pain in the year leading up to her death.

Meanwhile, law enforcement sources said police responded to an incident involving Hayden and subsequently opened an investigation.

In a statement released on August 17, the Greenville County Coroner's Office said Hayden was found in cardiac arrest at a residence in Greenville, S.C., before her death. First responders immediately "initiated advanced cardiac life support measures" after she was found "unresponsive," but "resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful."

She was "pronounced deceased at 2:32 PM," according to the press release. Meanwhile, dispatch audio recorded around the time of her death reportedly captured officials referring to an "overdose" and "cardiac arrest."

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However, Hayden's official cause and manner of death "remain pending further investigation and the completion of additional studies."

Hayden is survived by her parents, Skip and Lesley, and her 11-year-old daughter, Kaya.

Hayden Panettiere Was Open About Her Mental Health Struggles Before Her Death

Hayden Panettiere opened up about her substance abuse struggles and postpartum depression in her memoir 'This Is Me: A Reckoning.'MEGA

Before her death, Hayden opened up about her struggles in her memoir This Is Me: A Reckoning, published on May 19.

In one part of the book, she admitted the traumatic childbirth experience that later spiraled into alcoholism.

"I labored with Kaya for 14 hours and was in surgery for three hours after she was born," she wrote, per an excerpt shared by The Cut. "My blood wouldn't clot during my C-section, so doctors had to close the blood vessels in my uterus to prevent me from bleeding out. I had seven transfusions and ran a fever the entire time. My uterus had become infected, and the antibiotics I'd been given during labor hadn't been strong enough to lower my temperature."

She recalled waking up in the recovery room feeling "exhausted, disoriented and racked with pain." After giving birth to Kaya, she said she struggled to feel an immediate bond with her daughter, who "seemed like someone else's baby."

"I had always heard that mothers feel an instant rush of love the moment they lay their eyes on their baby, but I felt nothing," she added. "Kaya was just there, and now I had to figure out how to bond with her. It felt like an insurmountable task, and I was only on the first day."

She also candidly described the withdrawal symptoms she experienced during an eight-month treatment stay in 2020 as well as a doctor's warning that her alcoholism could kill her within five years.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”